D&D General Why Do People Hate Gnomes?

[Argyle King]

I can't speak for anyone else.

For me personally?

I don't hate gnomes as a concept, but (specifically) D&D Gnomes don't really have a personality or culture beyond city/steam-punk halflings -who also have an ability to talk to animals for some reason.

There's no clear identity for what they are supposed to be.

In contrast, I grew up with David the Gnome and a variety of other shows that contained Gnome characters and concepts that I liked.

 

[Tonguez]

I can't speak for anyone else.

For me personally?

I don't hate gnomes as a concept, but (specifically) D&D Gnomes don't really have a personality or culture beyond city/steam-punk halflings -who also have an ability to talk to animals for some reason.

There's no clear identity for what they are supposed to be.

In contrast, I grew up with David the Gnome and a variety of other shows that contained Gnome characters and concepts that I liked.

I've never really understood why people forget that the Forest Gnome is right there doing its best David impersonation, not to mention the grim deep gnomes. Just because urban Rock gnome Tinkerers are DnDs focus doesnt mean they have to be the default. Gnomes have both culture and diversity!

 

[MGibster]

Gnomes do rock.

 

[niklinna]

I've been hearing good things about Necrotic Gnome publishing, actually, and wouldn't mind playing through a couple of their adventures. Maybe even as a gnome!

But not a gnome titan, that's a Hackmaster thing.

 

[Seramus]

I've been fairly keen Gnomes = Obsession lately. Every gnome is inclined towards some manner of obsession, and they can change the things they obsess over, but you often finds gnomes who have become masters of their craft after practicing for hundreds of years. A little like Dwarven Craftsmen taken up to 11, but allowing for a wide variety of things: Alchemy, Philosophy, Astrology, Pottery, a section of forest, a cavern complex, etc.

 

[niklinna]

I've been fairly keen Gnomes = Obsession lately. Every gnome is inclined towards some manner of obsession, and they can change the things they obsess over but you often finds gnomes who have become masters of their craft after practicing for hundreds of years. A little like Dwarven Craftsmen taken up to 11, but allowing for a wide variety of things: Alchemy, Philosophy, Astrology, Pottery, a section of forest, a cavern complex, etc.

So mechanically you would have to pick a skill for your gnome that you are obligated to keep maxed out to the exclusion of any other choice?

 

[Seramus]

So mechanically you would have to pick a skill for your gnome that you are obligated to keep maxed out to the exclusion of any other choice?

Skills are automatically maxed out if you are proficient in them. Hopefully you picked skills that fit your character. Though I am amused at the idea of a character who hates all her proficiencies but won't retrain them. "My Pa forced me to do this until I got it RIGHT, now I can't stand it!"

 

[TiQuinn]

The way I see it is that you either like gnomes OR you like halflings. They occupy the same short space in my fantasy brain and there’s only room for one.

 

[niklinna]

Skills are automatically maxed out if you are proficient in them.

Well that assumes a particular game system. Gnomes exist in many games! (I mained a gnome warlock with pink hair in World of Warcraft but that doesn't really count as it isn't a tabletop game. But I suppose you could say if you picked a multiple-point talent you had to max it before assigning points anywhere else. (I played in vanilla days into Burning Crusade.))

Hopefully you picked skills that fit your character. Though I am amused at the idea of a character who hates all her proficiencies but won't retrain them. "My Pa forced me to do this until I got it RIGHT, now I can't stand it!"

Like John Cusack in Grosse Pointe Blank. Sucks to be best at something you hate doing.

 

[niklinna]

The way I see it is that you either like gnomes OR you like halflings. They occupy the same short space in my fantasy brain and there’s only room for one.

I like 'em both fine. And usually my groups have included dwarves in Team Shorty so that's three.